President assigns additional charge of Ministry of Finance to Pranab Mukherjee

New Delhi, Jan.24 (ANI): The President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has assigned the additional charge of the Ministry of Finance to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee from January 24, 2009 onwards till the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh recovers after undergoing medical treatment in New Delhis AIIMS hospital. The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of External Affairs, is assigned the additional charge of Ministry of Finance from 24th January, 2009 until the recovery of the Prime Minister from medical treatment, said a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique on Friday evening. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh would be undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday (Jan.24). A team of doctors drawn from AIIMS and the Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai would perform the surgery. They would be supported by a team of doctors and technical staff drawn from other departments of AIIMS. Earlier this week, Dr. Singh underwent extensive medical tests at AIIMS. (ANI)